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While Adam Lind has been removed from the Blue Jays' 40-man roster after clearing waivers, general manager Alex Anthopoulos doesn't believe that to be an impediment to Lind's return to Toronto.

"We needed a spot on the 40 so we put him on waivers a few days ago," Anthopoulos said Thursday. "He cleared and we got a spot. Whenever he finds his way back here, we'll clear up a spot again."

That spot on the 40-man was taken by Robert Coello, a reliever who will be in uniform Friday against the Red Sox. The Jays sent down lefthander Aaron Laffey, who had been idle since being called up and needed to get work to maintain his rotation spot in triple-A Las Vegas.

Anthopoulos said reports on Lind from Vegas have been very positive and that the expectation is that he could be ready to come back to the big leagues "soon."

EIGHT IS ENOUGH

While the Jays had expected to get back to a seven-man bullpen before the Boston series, they elected to stay with eight relievers.

"We've gone back and forth," Anthopoulos said. "We just felt that our bullpen has been worked hard. Even through the sweep (of Baltimore) we still had to use our late-inning relievers. All those guys threw during the series. We're keeping an eight-man 'pen through (the Boston series). It's an explosive offence and you don't know how things are going to go. We're better off to be a little bit ahead of it and be protected. We want our relievers refreshed and to stay healthy. We've got another four months left.

"Maybe after the next off day, depending on how this series goes, we may look to get down to a seven-man pen at that point."

SIGN LANGUAGE

Anthopoulos was unhappy to have to comment on suggestions by Baltimore pitcher Jason Hammel that the Jays are sign-stealers. The story first arose last year and Hammel made reference to the possibility after being dinged for four solo home runs by four different Jays players Wednesday.

"It's old news," Anthopoulos said. "I don't really care. I saw it, read it and turned the page. Our players choose, when they have a bad game, to answer questions and blame themselves and take accountability and that's the end of it. That's how our players deal with it. How other players want to deal with it, that's their choice."